The 32-year-old will play out the remainder of the A-League season with Glory after the two clubs agreed on swapping McBreen for Perth defender Jimmy Downey.

"Daniel wasn't forced," Ferguson said. "At the end of the day he was given a proposal and he took it up."

Fury attributed the decision to a focus on the future after McBreen agreed terms on a two-year deal at Central Coast Mariners beginning next season, while 22 year old Downey is a promising future prospect.

"Daniel's going away next season...so I was looking towards next year and using Dyron Daal and (Jeremy) Brockie so his (McBreen's) appearances were very limited," Ferguson said.

"Then I got a phone call from Perth saying they would be interested in taking Daniel."

"It's worked out pretty well for us, Daniel's not going to be here and I get a chance to have a look at someone I'm very interested in for next year."

McBreen has played 21 games for North Queensland in their inaugural campaign, scoring three goals and being hailed as one of their best for much of the season.

But since announcing his move to the Mariners last month, he's had a limited role off the bench, and it's his presence off the field that his team mates admit they'll miss as well.

The English-born forward is renowned within the club for his larrikin antics.

"Pepsi (Paul Kohler) and I get a ride with him to training every day so it'll take a bit of the annoying side of him off us," Jeremy Brockie joked about his fellow striker.

"But he's a good bloke to have around the change room and the lads will miss him.

"It was his decision to move on and we wish him all the best but we've got to concentrate on our last five games now with the squad that we've got."